Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Meanwhile in Palestine

Israeli Army Destroying Olive Trees in Jenin: August 29th, 2006 in the town of Zububa in the Jenin region, Israeli soldiers are currently destroying large swaths of Palestinian olive groves. The attacks began around 7:00 in the morning with American-made Caterpillar armoured bulldozers, and is currently ongoing.

Israel Cause Of Corruption In Palestine, Says MP: Prof Dr Najat Omar Abou Bakr.. "Israel took away 83 per cent of our available water, 86 per cent of our land, destroyed 90 per cent of our infrastructure and left three million of our people under siege," she told Bernama at the first Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Anti-Corruption and Enhancing Integrity Forum 2006

International blockades threaten Palestinian schools: Palestinian parents are huddling on street corners, in cafes and in mosques and talking nervously about the looming crisis in their children's education. The five month long financial blockade on the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority (PA) is now threatening to shut down the education system.

Nablus man tells Palestinian Prisoner Society lawyer that torture began during first investigation: They told him that they had arrested his wife and said they had an order from the Supreme Court to investigate his death. They accused him of planning resistance operations. Taher denied the charges against him for three days. The Israelis then forced him to take a polygraph. After that the Israeli investigators bound his legs and hands in an excruciating position and deprived him of sleep for three days. Then he had to take another polygraph.

Israeli Assault on Balata: This morning, two Palestinian resistance fighters were killed by Israeli military during an incursion into Balata refugee camp just outside of Nablus. Another young man was shot in the stomach and is, according to sources at Rafidia hospital, in critical condition.

Israel carries out large-scale detention in West Bank: Backed by armored personnel carriers and tanks, the troops stormed the town earlier and opened heavy machine-gun fires at houses, said the witnesses. Three other Palestinians, including two brothers, were arrested in Bethlehem city from their houses by the soldiers.

OPT: Gaza siege causing major health crisis: Gaza hospitals are facing a crisis because of a western and Israeli economic boycott, and an Israeli military offensive. The United Nations has warned of an increasingly desperate humanitarian situation.

Nasrallah makes Palestine pop charts: Now the five singers who make up the Northern Band have come a little closer to their goal, with help from an unwitting ally - Hezbollah guerrilla chief Hassan Nasrallah. At the height of the Israel-Hezbollah war, the band wrote new lyrics, in praise of Nasrallah, for an old tune. The "Hawk of Lebanon" song tapped into Nasrallah's popularity among Palestinians and became an instant hit.

OCO health centre, school in Palestine: Muscat Secondary School for Boys and Muscat Health Centre were opened at a ceremony held in Jiba'a district, south of Jenin, and north of the West Bank, in Palestine. The two facilities were financed and built by Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO).

Disgraceful: : Gaza siege causing major health crisis: Gaza hospitals are facing a crisis because of a western and Israeli economic boycott, and an Israeli military offensive. The United Nations has warned of an increasingly desperate humanitarian situation.